Apparatus for raising sunken submarines



Feb. 158, 1941.

G. scHwARz Er A; 2,232,564

APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SUBMARINES lFiled July 28, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet l 1NVENTOR$ Geary@ ohwa/rz BY izrles'JL'acaZozze/:

Feb. 18, 1941. G. scHwARz ETAL APPARATUS FOR RAISING- SUNKEN SUBMARIESFiled July 28, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVENToRs eazjge Schwarz l BY7m/Zes S. Jaczcalalze, 61:

ATTORNEYS Feb. 18`, 1941. G. scHwARz ETAI. 'l 2,232,564

APPARATUS FOR RISING' SUNKEN SUBMARINES yFiled July 28, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 3 A Feb. 18, 1941. G. scHwARz r- TAL 2,232,564

4 APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SUBMARINES Filed July 28, 1959 5sheets-sheet 4 INVENTORS A Geofye 'czl/Wcorz BY G77/arles' SJl'acd/Zolze, Sr. KM PW ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941.

a'scHwARz ETAL APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN SUBMARINES Filed JuILy 28,1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FonRAISING.A SUNKEN sUBMAnrNEs George Schwarz, Bellaire, and Charles S.Jiacalone, Sr., Bronx, N. Y.

Application July 28,` 1939, Serial No. 286,950

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for salvaging sunkenvessels and refers more particularly to a method of and apparatus forraising sunken submarines.

The invention broadly comprehends a novel means for guiding a pluralityof anchoring tongs carried by hoisting cables into juxtaposition toembrace the hull of a sunken submarine which hull is preferably providedwith suitable cooperative ribs and which presupposes the equipment ofthe lsubmarine with locating buoys and ropes by means of which ropesguide cables having anchoring tongs are guided into juxtaposition withthe submarine.

The invention is also directed to a salvaging craft of the catamarantype having spaced parallel hulls bridged by a frame Work to provideguide means ylocated midway between and parallel to said hullsover whichguide means the hoisting cables are trained to suitable hoisting'engines on the salvaging craft so as to raise and suspend the submarinebetween the hulls of the salvaging craft for towing the same away.

The invention further resides in a novel means for attaching thesubmarine locating buoy ropes to the salvaging craft so as to compensatefor the rise and fall of the sea during the preliminary operations ofguiding by means of said buoy ropes, guide cables and tongs so as todispose said tongs in grasping relation to the hull of the sunkensubmarine.

The invention also contemplates a method of raising and salvaging sunkensubmarines which consists in guiding guide cables having anchoring tongsto the submarine by means of the locat- 1 ing buoy ropes and effectingthe gripping of said tongs to the hull of the submarine; then guidinginto juxtaposition to the hull hoisting, cables having attaching tongsby means of said guide cables;` effecting the gripping of' saidanchoring tongs to the hull, and then hoisting said submarine by meansof said hoisting cables.

With` the above enumerated and other objects in View, the invention isset forth in greater detail yin the following specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a salvaging apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line2-2 of Fig. 1, and

illustrating the guide and hoisting cablesy and tongs in connectedrelation to the submarine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary. transverse sectional viewillustrating the guide cable and tongs in juxtaposition to thesubmarine.

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the hoisting cable and tongs inattached relation to the submarine. i

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one of the devicesto which the locating buoy ropes are attached.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view therethrough takenapproximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough taken on the line I-lof Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawingsy by characters of reference, A designates `a.submarine, the hull of which is provided with longitudinally extendingribs B on the opposite sides thereof and which submarine is equippedwith a pair of locating buoys C each of which is attached by means of arope Dto the submarine in spaced fore and aft relation. The buoys' andtheir ropes are normally housed respectively within hatches E, andretained in place by hatch covers F adapted to be released from withinthe submarine so as to float to the surface and indicate the position ofa sunken submarine.

The .apparatus for raising and salvaging sunken submarines includes asalvaging craft G of the f catamaran type Which is composed of a pair ofsurface vessels IIJ and II secured together in spaced parallel relationby means of a framework consisting of transverse beams I2 and I3 securedat their opposite ends to the surface vessels I0 -and II which frameworkfurther includes longitudinally extending beams I4 and I5 connected withthe transverse beams I2 and I3, the frame- Work being suitably bracedand trussed to afford the requisite strength. A shaft I6 parallel to thesurface Vessels I0 and I I extends fore and aft and is supportedadjacent the opposite ends thereof by bearings I1 carried by thetransverse beams I 2 and I3 intermediate the ends thereof.

The beams I4 and I5 are each provided withf a device 20 which are spacedfore and aft with reference to each other and which are adapted to havelattached thereto respectively, the ropes D of the locating buoys C' sothat the salvaging craft may be disposed directly over the sunkensubmarine A. The devices 20 consist of a fixed upstanding frame 2|having a cross head 22 mounted therein for guided vertical movement andnormally urged upwardly by means of springs 23. The cross head isprovided with a depending attaching hook 24 to which the locating buoyrope D is initially made fast so that the spring pressed cross head Willrise and fall with the sea during the preliminary salvaging operations.After the locating buoy ropes D have been attached, a pair of guidecables 3B are lowered from each of the surface vessels of the salvagingcraft, the guide cables being trained around motor driven winches 3| andthence around guide pulleys 32 rotatably mounted on the shaft i6. Theguide cables 3B carry anchoring tongs 33, the terminals of the upper armportions 3Q of which are vconnected to the guide cable b-y branch cablesections 35 by means of which the lower jaw portions 36 of the anchoringtongs are normally swung towards each other to a clamping relation whensuspended from the guide cable. v

In order to hold the jaw portions 36 in an open relation and to maneuverthe saine into straddling relation to the submarine A, a hold open cable31 is attached to each of the jaw portions 36 and said cables leadtherefrom in opposite directions respectively to motor driven Winches 38on each of the surface vessels I0 andll. Each pair of tongs 33 isprovided with a split guide ring 39 which is engaged around the locatingbuoy rope D after which a latch bar 40 on the guide ring is swung to aposition to bridge the split portion thereof. This serves to guide thetongs 33 to the sunken submarine as 'they are lowered and insures aproper straddling of the submarine by the jaw portions 36 of the tongs.The jaw portions 36 are provided with hooked lower terminals 4I whichare adapted to engage .under the longitudinal ribs B on opposite sidesof the hull of the submarine A so that when the hold open cables 31 areslacked and an upward pull is exerted on the guide cables 30, the samewill be properly anchored by the tongs 33 in clamping relation with thehull of the submarine.

The salvaging apparatus further consists of hoisting cables each ofwhich carries atits lower end a pair of hoisting tongs 5l havingpivotally connected jaws 52, the upper terminals 53 of which areconnected by branch cables 54 to the lower end of the hoisting cable sothat the jaws 52 normally tend to swing towards each other to grip thehull of the submarine when suspended by the hoisting cables. y

Each jaw of each pair of hoisting tongs 5| is provided with a hold opencable 55 which lead respectively to motor Winches 56 to opposite surfacevessels I0 and Il of the salvaging craft G. The hoisting cables of onepair of tongs are trained around a pulley 51 and thence laterally to amotor driven winch 58, while the hoisting cable of the other pair oftongs is trained around a pulley 59 on the shaft I6 and laterally to amotor driven winch 60 on the opposite surface vessel ll.

The hoisting tongs 5I are each provided with `a split guide ring 6|which is engaged around the guide cable 30 after which a latch bar'SZ issecured over the split portion of the guide ring to retain the same inrelation to the guide cable 30 to guide the tongs into juxtaposition tothe submarine as the same are lowered by means of the hoisting cables50. As the hoisting tongs approach the submarine A, the hold open cables55 are employed to swing the jaws 52 to kopen relation and to maneuverthe tongs so that the jaws 55 will straddle the hull of the submarine.When vthe jaws have been properly positioned, the hold open cables areslacked to permit the jaws to swing towards each other into grippingrelation with the hull of the submarine.

As illustrated, the jaws of the hoisting tongs are provided with ribs 63which are spaced apart so as to cooperatively engage with thelongitudinal ribs B on the opposite sides of the hull of the submarine.After the tongs are closed into gripping relation with the submarinehull, an upward pull is exerted on the hoisting cables to retain thesame in gripping relation and prior to the actual raising operation, thelocating buoy ropes D are loosened and the locating buoys permitted tofloat as the hoisting operation proceeds. When the submarine has beenraised so as to clear bottom, the salvaging craft may be propelled so asto tow the submarine suspended therebetween to shallow water for thepurpose of completing the salvaging operation.

The method of raising and salvaging sunken submarines consists inemploying the locating buoyropes as a means for guiding guide cableshaving anchoring tongs into juxtaposition to the hull of the submarineso as to cause the anchoring tongs of the guide cables to straddle andgrip the submarine, in order to attach said guide cable to thesubmarine. The method then consists in guiding into juxtaposition to thehull of the submarine hoisting cables having attaching tongs byemploying the guide cables as a means for guiding the tongs and hoistingcable and then effecting the gripping of the anchoring tongs of saidhoisting cable to the submarine hull while finally employing thehoisting cables as means for raising the submarine.

What is claimed is:

l. In an apparatus for salvaging sunken submarines which are equippedwith locating buoys having ropes extending therefrom and attached to thesubmarine hull, a salvaging craft including spaced parallel surfaceVessels, a framework secured to and bridging said vessels, guide meanssupported by the framework and located thereon intermediate saidvessels, guide cables leading respectively from said vessels and trainedaround said guide means, anchoring tongs carried thereby and guideelements carried by said anchoring tongs and engageable around saidlocating buoy ropes for guiding said tongs into clamping engagement withthe hull of the submarine to secure the guide cables thereto, hoistingcables leading respectively from each of said surface vessels andtrained around said guide means, hoisting tongs carried by said hoistingcables, guide elements carried by the hoisting tongs and engageablearound said guide cables for directing said hoisting tongs intojuxtaposition to the hull of the submarine for embracing engagementtherewith so as to anchor the hoisting cables thereto, and means on saidsurface vessels for raising said hoisting cables.

2. In an apparatus for salvaging sunken subried thereby and guideelements carried by said anchoring tongs and engageable around saidlocating buoy ropes for guiding said tongs into clamping engagement withthe hull of the submarine to secure the guide cables thereto, hoistingcables leading respectively from each of said surface vessels andtrained around said guide means, hoisting tongs carried by said hoistingcables, guide elements carried by the hoisting tongs and engageablearound said guide cables '.for directing said hoisting tongs intojuxtaposition to the hull of the submarine for embracing engagementtherewith so as to anchor the hoisting cables thereto, and hold opencables respectively atta-ched to said guide cable tongs and saidhoisting tongs and leading to the surface vessels for holding open thejaws of said tongs and for maneuvering the same from the surface intostraddling relation to the submarine hull. c

3. In an apparatus for salvaging sunken submarines which are equippedwith` locating buoys having ropes extending therefrom and attached tothe submarine hull, a salvaging craft including spaced parallel' surfacevessels, a framework secured to and bridging said surface vessels, meanson said salvaging craft for attaching the locating buoy ropes thereto,guide means supported by the frameworkand located thereon intermediatesaid vessels, guide cables leading respectively from said vessels andtrained around said guide means, anchoring tongs carried thereby andguide elements carried by said anchoring tongs and engageable aroundsaid locating buoy ropes for guiding said tongs into clamping engagementwith the hull of the submarine to secure the guide cables thereto,hoisting cables leading respectively from each of said surface vesselsand trained around said guide means,

-hoisting tongs carried by said hoisting cables, guide elements carriedby the hoisting tongs and engageable around said guide cables fordirecting said hoisting tongs into juxtaposition to the hull of thesubmarine for embracing engagement therewith so as to anchor thehoisting cables thereto, and means on said surface vessels for raisingsaid hoisting cables. l

4. In an apparatus for salvaging sunken submarines which are equippedwith locating buoy ropes extending therefrom and attached to thesubmarine hull, a salvaging craft including spaced parallel surfacevessels, a framework secured to and bridging said surface vessels,spring urged means on said salvaging craft for attaching the locatingbuoy ropes thereto so as to compensate for the rise and fall of the sea,guide means supported by the framework and located cables, guideelements carried by the hoisting tongs and engageable around said guidecables for directing said hoisting tongs into juxtaposition to the hull-of the submarine for embracing engagement therewith soas to anchor thehoisting cables thereto, and means on said Surface vessels for raisingsaid hoisting cables'.

5. In an apparatus for salvaging sunken submarines which are: equippedwith locating .buoys having ropes extending therefrom and attached tothe submarine hull and which submarine hull is provided withlongitudinally extending ribs on the opposite sides thereof, a salvagingcraft including guide cables leading downwardly therefrom, ancho-ringtongs carried by said guide cables having cooperative ribs thereon andguide elements carried by the anchoring tongs and engageable around thelocating buoy ropes for guiding said tongs into clamping engagement withthe hull of the submarine with the ribs on the tongs engaging the ribson the hull so as to secure the guide cablesI thereto, hoisting cablesleading downwardly from said salvaging craft, hoisting tongs carried bysaid hoisting cables, ribs on said hoisting tongs, guide elementscarried by the hoisting tongs and engageable around said guide cablesfor directing said hoisting tongs into juxtaposition to the hull of thesubmarine for embracing the same with the ribs on said hoisting tongsengaging the ribs on the submarine, and means on said salvaging craftfor raising said hoisting cables.

GEORGE SCHWARZ. .CHARLES S. JI'ACALONE, SR.

